An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

General: Arrangement of parts or elements in a composite object.
Physics: The distribution of electrons in the various atomic orbital and energy levels.

L.L. configuration, configuratio "similar formation," from L. configurare "to form from or after," from → com- + figurare "to form," from figura "figure."

Hampeykareš (verbal noun from hampeykaridan), from ham-, → com-, + peykar "figure, form, mould, body" + noun suffix -eš. Peykar from Mid.Pers. pahikar "picture, image," from O.Pers. patikara- "picture, (sculpted) likeness," from patiy "against" (Av. paiti, Skt. prati, Gk. poti/proti) + kara- "doer, maker," from kar- "to do, make, build," Av. kar-, Skt.. kr-; cf. Skt. pratikrti- "an image, likeness, model; counterpart."

Of an atom, a form of notation which shows how the electrons are distributed among the various atomic orbital and energy levels. The format consists of a series of numbers, letters and superscripts. For example, 1s² 2s² 2p³ means: 2 electrons in the 1s subshell, 2 electrons in the 2s subshell, and 3 electrons in the 2p subshell.

→ electron; → configuration.